President Biden on Tuesday test-drove a Ford electric pickup truck as part of a visit to the company’s plant in Dearborn, Mich., during which he touted electric vehicles as the “future of the auto industry.”
Biden took the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup, a vehicle the company plans to officially unveil this week, for a spin during his visit to the plant.
“This sucker’s quick,” the president told the White House pool reporter.
When asked if the reporter could ask a question about Israel, Biden replied, “No, you can’t. Not unless you get in front of the car as I step on it. I’m only teasing.”
Press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted a picture of Biden behind the wheel, writing, “Just a quick stop during a test drive of the Ford F-150 lightning.”
During his speech at the plant, Biden sought to make the case for his proposed $174 billion investment in electric vehicles, framing the issue as part of a competition with China.
“The rest of the world is moving fast. They’re moving ahead. They’re not waiting for the United States of America,” Biden said during his remarks. “We have a playbook that’ll work. We’re going to set a new pace for electric vehicles.”